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TV: It Brings Us Closer Together

One thing is undeniable – Brits love TV. We love it so much that in our recent report, National Obsession: our relationship with TV, 52% of Britons said that they would describe themselves as TV addicts. Put down the phone to TV addicts anonymous though, because that’s not a bad thing. Although we spend a lot of time in front of the box, our report showed that more than a quarter of us do so to be close to our friends and family.

Want proof? The evidence is in the TV shows themselves. From squabbling kids to teen bonds, here are the TV characters that bond over a good show.

The Simpsons – Itchy and Scratchy

The Simpsons wouldn’t be the same without Bart and Lisa’s obsession with everyone’s favourite warring cat and mouse duo, Itchy and Scratchy. Even when Bart and Lisa are going through one of their many rough patches, they always have time to sit down together to watch Itchy run Scratchy through a meat grinder, slice him in two or carve his head into a grotesque pumpkin. Precious moments like that really bring families together.

Daria – Sick, Sad World

You couldn’t have gone through teen angst in the 90s without wanting to join Daria and Jane on the sofa to watch Sick, Sad World together. In a world where nobody was on Daria’s intellectual level and nothing made any sense, Sick, Sad World was always there to help the two best friends avoid reality.

Daria (and Sick, Sad World) might not be on TV anymore but her spirit of escapism lives on – our report revealed that 43% of Brits watch TV to escape reality.

Jane the Virgin – The Passions of Santos

After being accidentally artificially inseminated, it’s safe to say that Jane Villanueva doesn’t exactly have the best luck. Thank the TV gods then for The Passions of Santos – the ridiculously over the top telenovela that Jane and her family watch together. It doesn’t just provide Jane with a welcome release from her stressful life, it also reunites her with her long-lost father… who happens to be the show’s lead actor. Amazing! Whoever says that TV doesn’t bring families together is a liar.

Gogglebox

Gogglebox. It doesn’t just bring families together, it binds a nation. Over 3 million of us watch people watch TV every week, and we love it. When we know that other families around the country are shouting the same things at the box as us, that they’re feeling the same emotions we feel when we watch TV… we grow together as a nation of TV lovers. And isn’t that a beautiful thing?

So the next time you’re all sat down as a family to watch your favourite show, don’t forget that it’s bringing you closer together. Group hug?